What Wasn't to Be
by Dana1
Summary: A last minute change in plans leads one wrestler down a new road to the WWE where he will run into the men who sabotaged his career.
1. Watch Your Back

Title: What Wasn't to Be  
Author: Dana  
Rating: PG to be safe  
Warnings: Cursing in first part.  
Summary: A last minute change in plans leads one wrestler down a new road to the WWE where he will run into the men who sabotaged his career.  
Time frame: Everything before and after Survivor Series 2012 is AU. This fic starts out roughly Survivor Series 2014.  
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone you recognize in this fic. They are all owned by themselves or the company that created them.

"You need to watch yourself," a voice said from behind Seth Rollins who spun around to face one of his very best friends, Roman Reigns standing there.

"Why should I watch myself," Seth demanded. "Are the fans threatening to kill me again? You'd think they'd get over the fact that I turned against the Shield by now."

"Not the fans. You know who I'm talking about." Roman said his voice dropping low as he saw Paige and AJ Lee staring at them from where they were putting their match together.

"Who?" Seth asked. "Come on just say it. I don't have time to play games we've got our tag match coming up soon. Hunter wanted to talk about the ending again with me, Cena, and Heyman."

Roman stared at him for a moment. "You really haven't heard have you? Damn I thought they would have told you first. They re-signed Good and didn't send him to NXT."

"Good?" Seth stared at him blankly. "Who's…" he stopped. "Shit." Was all he said.

DDD  
 _"I know_ _what_ _you did!" Dean Ambrose yelled as he stormed into the locker room at NXT._

 _Seth Rollins looked up from where he was reading the script he was handed for the upcoming show. "Calm down Ambrose. I don't know_ _what_ _you are talking about. I didn't do anything."_

 _Dean rubbed at his shoulder before saying, "I was supposed to be called up at Survivor Series not him!"_

 _"You've been listening to Regal again. You probably aren't ready for WWE." Seth said not looking Dean in the eye._

 _"I'm more ready than any of you!" He took a swing at Seth Rollins who wasn't prepared and tumbled to the floor. It took most of the NXT roster to pull the two apart._

Seth, Roman, and Richie Steamboat were brought up to the main roster as the Shield. They never heard anything about Ambrose except that he was fired on the spot. _  
_

_DDD  
_ Notes: Next few chapters will be flashbacks.


	2. Not Ready?

Notes: Flashback that's before the flashback of last chapter

 _Dean Ambrose stared at Hunter Hearst Helmsley who was sitting across from him in the conference room along with NXT trainers Bill DeMott and Norman Smiley. He didn't like this. If this was a meeting about Survivor Series, shouldn't Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins also be there?_

 _"Dean," Hunter started as he shuffled through some of the papers in front of him. "I've been reviewing some of your tapes and I've been talking to Norman and Bill. We all agree that you aren't quite ready to move up to WWE."_

 _"Are you shitting me," Dean yelled. "I've been working my ass off down here and we all know I didn't need developmental work."_

 _"Now I realize that you've been in the Indy circuit and have made a name for yourself in places like CZW and Dragon Gate but that's not enough for W WE. Your attitude has something to do with it too. I've heard reports about how you have been starting arguments with fellow NXT wrestlers and have argued with your trainers."_

 _"You mean you've been talking to Seth Rollins," Dean said._

 _"I didn't say that. To be fair I can't say who it is and it's not just one person."_

 _"Right. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns." He turned to Norman and Bill. "Have I fought with either of you?"_

 _"Well no…" Norman answered._

 _"That's beside the point," Hunter said, "we need you to iron out_ _what_ _ever issues you may have and when you are ready to be called up, you will be. As of right now we are bringing up Richie Steamboat in your place for Survivor Series. With your talent Dean I'm sure we can find some other gimmick for you when you are ready."_

 _"You mean if ever," Dean said knowing all the people who had been cut who should have made it to WWE._

 _"Right," Hunter stood up. "Bill, Norman keep me posted on Dean's progress." He said before leaving the room._

 _"This is bullshit Bill. We both know it's about Seth." Dean said turning to face the older man._

 _"I tried to fight for you Dean but Hunter's made up his mind on who should be called up. There's nothing we can do it. You keep doing_ _what_ _you are doing, and you will be called up."_

 _Dean stood up and walked out of the office looking for Seth Rollins._

 _DDD_


	3. Signed

"I feel like you're walking me into my first day of school," Dean said to William Regal as they walked into Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Indiana for RAW.

"Not much different I suppose," Regal said with a slight smile. "They are just as well behaved as kindergartners sometimes."

"Jon Moxley?" a voice called. Dean and William turned to see a harried agent running towards them.

"I wish they'd let me use that name," Dean said under his breath.

"Helmsley wants to see you in his office right away."

Dean smirked. "It's just like school. I'm called into the Principal's office on the first day. Where's his office?" he asked.

"I'll show you," the agent said and led them.

Dean only stopped abruptly when he saw someone catch his eye. "I'll be right back." He said before walking up to one of the Usos. He wasn't sure if it was Jey or Jimmy, but that didn't matter. "Tell your cousin I'm looking for him."

The Uso just smirked. "Will do."

Dean walked back to where Regal and the agent was waiting. They walked to a room that had a sign that read: Vince's office.

Dean turned to look at the agent in confusion.

"Hunter's using Vince's office." He said quickly before hurrying away.

Dean opened the door and walked in, not even bothering to knock. Triple H sat there with the same smug look on his face as the last time Dean saw him. "Dean have a seat," he said indicating the chairs in front of him. "You can go Regal."

"I'll stay." Regal said sitting down in the other chair in the room.

"How's the knee?" Hunter asked ignoring Regal.

"Heeled just fine thank you." Dean said glaring at the older man. He was still bitter about how WWE had released him from NXT after he injured his knee a week after Survivor Series 2012. He had a feeling that Hunter was looking for any reason to let Dean go. He had enjoyed time in Ring of Honor and he knew someone had sent a tape of his match with the Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels to WWE, and that's why he was re-signed.

"I told you that you'd be back here," Hunter said not fazed by Dean's glare. "Of course as we mentioned over the phone, you won't be using Jon Moxley in WWE. You'll go back to being Dean Ambrose."

"I want Rollins."

"You're not getting Rollins or Reigns your first night back."

"Then I'm not signing that contract." He said nodding at the contract that Hunter had pulled out when he came into the room.

Hunter glared at him.

"Tell me Hunter. Did you tell them I was fired for hitting Seth like the internet said or did you tell him you fired me because I got hurt?"

Hunter just glared at him. He wasn't a man who liked being put in a corner. Ambrose was one of the hottest free agents and after the Colt Cabana Podcast, they needed to get those fans back. "Your debut will be a run in."

"Don't tell them."

"What?" Hunter yelled.

"Think about how great it'll look on TV if you surprise them with this."

"This is my final offer Good. You don't take it the deal's off and you can return to Ring of Honor for the rest of your career for all I care. We end the show with the lights going out and then turning back on with you in the center of the ring. No physicality. Build up to a match between you and Rollins at TLC."

Dean just smiled and grabbed the contract.

Regal leaned in and whispered in Dean's ear, "doesn't appear you needed me at all."

Dean just shrugged. He got what he wanted. That's all that mattered at the moment.


	4. Staredown

Notes: Sorry for the delay in updating this story. It's a short chapter sorry.

Seth taped up his fists getting ready for his tag match later that night with Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury against John Cena and Dolph Ziggler. It was the night after Survivor Series. He looked at Roman who was sitting down next to him. Roman hadn't been cleared to wrestle yet and Richie Steamboat had been let go from WWE a couple of months ago.

"You okay man," Roman asked. "You seem jumpy."

"Me? I'm fine," Seth said his voice nearly rising an octave. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Still nervous about Good?" Roman asked.

"Nah. I talked to Joey and he said he heard Good hadn't signed yet. Something about medical clearance. Or Good didn't want to sign."

"If it's a psych evaluation, we've got nothing to work about." Roman cracked. "We know Hunter hates him. He won't sign him."

"Yeah but he was pissed off last time we saw him."

"Seth it was over two years ago. He's probably already forgotten about it. WWE obviously has if they are talking to him about re-signing even after they fired him for punching you."

Bo Dallas, who was sitting not too far away, snorted. "They actually told you that?" The younger brother of Bray Wyatt asked. "He injured his knee and they released him from his contract. He and CM Punk had knee surgery about the same time. You hang out with Mercury. I would have thought he'd have told you."

Seth frowned not wanting to believe the younger man. Bo would have still been with NXT. He'd know for sure. Why would they be told that Good was fired for hitting him?

DDD

Seth stood in the middle of the ring after losing to Cena and Ziggler. They had left the ring after their celebration. Suddenly the light went out. He spun around wondering what that was about. That was not in the script. RAW was supposed to be off the air. Did the power go out?

The lights came on and the fans started screaming. He assumed it was Sting behind him so he spun around. He was going to kill the writers for not telling him before this.

He stared at the man in a leather jacket, jeans, and a tank top. He'd know that man anywhere.

"Oh shit." Seth said but thankfully the cameras didn't pick it up.

"That's Dean Ambrose," Michael Cole was yelling from ringside. "He and Seth had problems with each other down in NXT! Fans we've got to go!"

RAW went off the air with Dean and Seth staring each other down.


End file.
